Family of Three

 

It's official... Our little family is going to become a family of three (or four if you count Gordon).  We are due early this summer.  Hopefully, we find out in the next few weeks whether our little gummy bear (that's what the nurse called it) is going to be a boy or girl.

 

 

 

We told my family by giving them this picture of all three grandchildren.  I don't think Peyton and Riley had any idea that they were holding a picture of their baby cousin.  They probably thought it was a squirrel.

We have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to this new year!

 

Happy 2014!



Favorite Things

Once a month, the girls from our Sunday morning Bible class get together for a "Ladies' Night."  The last time that we met, we had a "Favorite Things" party (and I didn't take a single picture!).  Basically, everyone who came to the party brought five of their favorite things... all the same item.  We put our names in a bowl five times each, and then drew the names of five other women.  We went around the room showing our favorite product and why we love it, and if you drew that person's name, then you got their item.  At the end of the night, each person went home with five of their friends' favorite things!

So I thought it would be fun to do a blog post about five of my favorite things... which all happen to be beauty products (I didn't plan that by the way... I must just be feeling really girly today!).

Again, if you were going to host a "Favorite Things" party, you would have your guests bring five of the SAME item.  The item that I brought is the first of five things that I am going to show you on this post.  It is NYC's Liquid Lipshine in "Nude York City."  One of the partners at Greg's firm told me about this lip color, and I agree that it might be the perfect natural lip color for pretty much any skin type.  Plus, it smells like cupcakes!  I've been wearing it everyday, and I love it!

The second product that I'm in love with are Suave's dry shampoos.  I don't have oily hair, but I do have oily skin, so the hair around my face gets dirty as the day goes on.  I spray this on the front of my hair and it helps keep the oil gone throughout the day.  Some of my friends also use it to just give their hair extra body at the roots.  Suave has two kinds, a gold can and silver can.  I like the way the silver can smells the best, so I use it the most.

My third favorite product (in no particular order) is Cover Girl's Smudge Proof mascara.  I have used this stuff for over a decade, and I might boycott all makeup if they ever discontinue it.  The reason that I like this mascara is because it is half way between washable and waterproof.  It doesn't smear down my face if I cry at a sappy commercial, but I don't have to use eye make-up remover to get it off, either.  It just washes off with face soap and water.  LOVE IT!

Next up, I'd like to introduce you to my favorite nail polish top coat.  Let me tell you why you should wear a top coat... because your polish will last forever!  This one from Sally Hanson is the best drugstore top coat that I've ever found.  Two coats of my nail polish and one coat of this, and my nails last for well over a week before chipping.  Plus, it drys in minutes (which is fantastic if you always mess up your wet nails like me, ugh!).  

Finally, my last favorite product for today is St. Tropez's line of self-tanners.  My dad was diagnosed with melanoma in 2007, and that day, I decided that I will never tan in a tanning bed again.  I'm not a sun-hater, but I am much more aware that skin cancer (even the terminal kind) can happen to anyone.  In comes self-tanners!  I hate most of them, but I got a free trial size bottle of the St. Tropez gradual tanner one time, and I loved it!  It doesn't smell like self-tanner, it doesn't smear like self-tanners, its not orange like self-tanners.  It's amazing.  I have both the gradual tan lotion on the right (which I use the most) and the foaming tanner (which I use when I want a darker tan, but it is messier).  When I put on the foam, I use the mitt that you can see in the picture, and it works really well... a lot better than you would think a mitt would work, and I actually think it smooths it on better than your hand.  Honestly, this is the easiest self-tanner that I have ever applied.  It is magic tan in a bottle.

All of these products, except the St. Tropez, can be purchased at the drugstore.  I get my St. Tropez at Ulta, but I haven't really looked for it anywhere else.

So there you go!  These are my favorite products, and I want everyone to know about them!  Let me know if you try any of them!

Recap

Just like the rest of the world, I've been really busy lately, and our blog has certainly been neglected.  Somehow, I always seem to be less productive in the summertime than I am during the school year.  Anyways, here's a quick recap of the past few weeks.

In April, my Senior High Choir got the chance to sing in a concert with Kris Allen.  It was a tough day at work... but somebody's got to do it.

I rehearsed with the ASO and ACS for a performance of Mozart's "Requiem."  I felt horrible the night of the concert, and couldn't perform (Actually, I did perform through the fourth movement, but then I had to walk off stage before it was over - I was mortified).  That's a fun piece, and I had a good time at rehearsals each week.

Some friends met us to watch some concerts and fireworks at Riverfest.

 Greg had a birthday, and I made him a cake (and our friend Steven!).  Apparently, I've been hiding these cake decorating skills all this time.  Who knew?!

We went back up to NWA for Memorial Day weekend to visit our old friends and spend some time on the lake.  Then I had to go to the dermatologist last week... peeling from head to toe.  Perfect timing :)

I've been helping my mom decorate their new house.  Here is some FUNctional art that we just hung up in her laundry room.  Clearly, it's already got it's money's worth.

Finally, we went to a really fun wedding last night of a girl I grew up with at church.  I wasn't able to get a picture with the bride, but she was beautiful both inside and out.  Congratulations, Sarah Jane and Carlton!  We love you!! 

Meanwhile, Gordon is still the cutest, little nugget ever.  This was my picture with him from Mother's Day!

How to Fall Down a Mountain As Demonstrated By Greg

1. Go to the top of a mountain.

2. Gain as much speed as humanly possible as you ski down the mountain (Calling the Hogs helps with this).

3. Think positive thoughts.  You can do this.

4. Propel yourself upward with all your might as you approach the top of a hill.

5. Strike a cool pose for the camera as proof of how much air you got.

6. THIS IS THE MOST CRUCIAL STEP: While in mid-air, point your left ski straight down at the snow.

7. Amaze your friends by landing the jump on both feet... if only for a split-second.

8. Roll forward, and don't worry about that ski.

9. Just go with it... Keep playin' it cool.

10. For the grand finale, roll up into a big ball of snow.

11. Get up and exclaim, "I totally meant to do that!"

 12. After your friends are finished laughing, let them clean up after you.

40th Wedding Anniversary

On March 10th, we celebrated my parents' 40th wedding anniversary.  That's right folks... These two have been married since 1973, and here are my Dad's sideburns to prove it.

Leading up to the party, I prayed to God that I didn't care how many people showed up, but only that my parents felt loved on that day.  So I shouldn't have been surprised when God delivered us a house overflowing with friends, family, food, pictures, memories, laughs, and lots and lots of love!

 

 

We love you, Mom and Dad!  Happy Anniversary... and MANY more!

  

Valentine's Day 2013

Some of the Senior boys at the school where I teach got flowers for every girl on campus (students and teachers!) and attached a different, encouraging, hand-written note to each.  Seriously, I almost started crying when I got my flower.

Then tonight, I almost started crying when me and Greg opened our box of heart-shaped pizza to enjoy a romantic dinner together, and it looked like this...

#ThingsINeverWantToForget.